


Christmas

by lillyluna



Category: Sports RPF, Swimming RPF
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-27
Updated: 2013-12-27
Packaged: 2018-01-06 08:59:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1104938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lillyluna/pseuds/lillyluna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two Christmases, a few years apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this last year and didn't get it finished in time for it to still be relevant at Christmas. I picked it up again this year and the same thing happened. It is not as fully developed as I would like it to be but if I don't post it now I never will. 
> 
> My life got crazy the week after I posted "Talan Is" and I just haven't been able to write as much as I used to. To be honest, I haven't really felt like it. You guys deserve better and I am actively working on stuff now. I'm thinking of posting all the random pieces of fic that I started writing over the year that I know won't get anywhere. If you're interested I'll put something together.
> 
> This isn't real. If you know you won't like it, just don't read it. Like go outside or go eat a Christmas cookie and deal with your life.

 

 

“Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot.” Ryan reads, “But the Grinch who lived just north of Whoville did not.”

 

Oliver sucks on the edge of his security blanket; a stars and stripes printed towel they had brought to his first few swimming lessons that he now refused to let go of. He looks up at Ryan with big brown eyes his fingers reaching up to curl around a handful of Ryan’s t-shirt.

 

“The Grinch hated Christmas, the whole Christmas season. Now don’t ask why, no one quite knows the reason.” Ryan continues. He strokes back Oliver’s hair and tucks the towel around him.

 

“Maybe his shoes were on too tight.” Ryan smirks, “Maybe his shoes just weren’t ballin’ enough Gator. You don’t have that problem. So your heart’s fine.” Ryan brushes his thumb over Oliver’s heart. “How’s mine feel?” He takes Oliver’s little hand and presses it against his own heart.

 

“Buh.” Oliver babbles before leaning his head back against Ryan.

 

“Exactly.” Ryan answers seriously, “Mind if I skip some pages dude? It’s like The Grinch is angry and he goes to steal their Christmas and then he tries to take a Christmas tree but this little Who chick makes him feel bad and then-“

 

“That’s not what happens.” Michael looks up from the floor where he’s trying to put together a little tykes lawn mower for Oliver, “That’s so not what happens.”

 

“He totally tries to take the tree!” Ryan flips a few pages ahead in the book and turns it around to show Michael, “That’s the tree and then the chick Cindy makes him feel bad and so-“

 

“He lies to her.” Michael reaches up to turn a few more pages, “Takes the tree anyways and takes it to the top of Mount fucking trumpet.”

 

“Crumpet, come on.”

 

“Whatever, he takes it there and then he starts feeling bad and so-“

 

“Yo.” Ryan interrupts, “This is like my story time so I get to-“

 

“Fine.” Michael laughs, “Tell it your way.”

 

He goes back to fiddling with the handles of the toy lawnmower making sure the dials and switches work. He wheels it back and forth a few times before being satisfied. He uses his foot to push it back closer to the tree.

 

There’s no snow in Florida and for Michael Christmas doesn’t feel like Christmas without snow. He’s kind of bummed out about it despite the tree, the dozens of presents for Oliver and the ridiculous watch he can’t wait for Ryan to open. It’s the first Christmas he’s spent away from Baltimore and he can’t help but be sad.

 

“They sing the song on tv.” Ryan tells Oliver as he reaches the last few pages of the book, “But like I don’t know it…”

 

“He’s sleeping.” Michael cuts Ryan off.  He points to Oliver who’s put his security blanket over his face.  

 

“He’s heard the story before.” Ryan excuses, “You done with that?” He asks about the mower.

 

“Yeah like… I think so.” Michael feels around the carpet for any left over parts.

 

“It’s too early to go to bed.” Ryan rationalizes, “Wanna watch a movie? Like there’s gotta be some bad Christmas show somewhere.”

 

Ryan reaches for the remote careful not to move Oliver around too much. He flips the channels until he comes across something he vaguely remembers watching as a kid. He drops the remote back down and stares at Michael.

 

“I’m sorry you can’t be home for Christmas dude.” Ryan says quietly voicing something that’s been bothering him all day. He feels guilty because they’re in Florida because of him; because of his training.

 

“I am home dude.” Michael means it; he reaches over and brushes a few of his fingers over Oliver’s mop of brown hair.

 

“I know you’re bummed about being in Florida dude, I get you.”

 

“It’s ok.”

 

“It probably doesn’t feel like Christmas right? Without the snow.”

 

“It doesn’t.” Michael admits. He sits down next to Ryan and reaches for Oliver. Ryan gives him up without a fight.

 

“I thought of like…” Ryan folds Oliver’s towel in half and drapes it over Oliver’s feet, “Getting a snow machine and covering everything but is that stuff toxic? I didn’t wanna poison him you know?”

 

“It’s okay Ry.” Michael reassures, “I want to be here.”

 

They start watching the movie again, Ryan rests his head on Michael’s shoulder, his hand rubbing slow circles on the part of Oliver’s back not covered by Michael’s splayed fingers. It feels like everything in their house is still.

 

“We should go to mass.” Ryan says just as the credits are about to roll.

 

“What?”

 

“Like… midnight mass. My mom’s going she told me yesterday, we can still make it if we leave soon.”

 

“It’s late dude.” Michael yawns, “Ols is sleeping.”

 

“I just thought.” Ryan snakes his fingers to rub the back of Michael’s neck, “That maybe it would make it more like… home for you.”

 

“We should probably take the kid to mass.” Michael thinks out loud, “Your mom would-“

 

“Let’s go then.” Ryan grabs Oliver away from Michael, “Go get dressed, I’ll get Gator ready and we’ll head out in like twenty.”

 

Half an hour later, Ryan has Oliver changed out of his pajamas and he watches Michael riffle through the diaper bag to make sure it’s still stocked.

 

“He’ll sleep through it.” Ryan’s busy fumbling with the laces on Oliver’s tiny black high tops.

 

“You should have just left him in pajamas.”

 

“Everyone’s going to be there, he can’t meet people in pajamas. It’s not a good look.”

 

“He’s a baby.”

 

“First impressions.”

 

“We’ll have to change him back once we get home and he’s sleeping, he’ll wake up.”

 

“He didn’t wake up when I was changing him into these clothes so I think we’re good.”

 

“We need to sleep on Christmas.” Michael groans, “ I want to sleep.”

 

“I’ll stay up with him,” Ryan reassures him, “It’s Christmas anyways. Kids don’t need to sleep on Christmas. You gotta try and catch Santa and peak at presents and-“

 

“You’re Santa Ryan.” Michael points out, “The presents are in your-“

 

“Dude, shut up. Ols doesn’t need to know.”

 

*

 

They get to mass just as it’s starting and the choir is already singing Holy Night. Oliver is awake in Ryan’s arm, looking at his new surroundings with sleepy eyes.

 

Michael bends down to kiss Oliver’s cheek as they make their way to go join Ryan’s family in a pew off the central aisle.

 

Oliver is a hit; he gets passed from arms to arms before settling against Ryan’s chest and curling one little hand behind Ryan’s neck into his hair. With the dim lights, the soft singing and the warmth Oliver’s eyes are soon closed.

 

“Remember last year?” Ryan asks quietly.

 

“We were waiting for him.” Michael answers, “We were praying he was going to be okay.”

 

“Like sometimes I wonder if we should be in here you know?” Ryan looks around the church, “Because they like think we’re-“

 

“We’re not.”

 

“I know… Because like I’m…” Ryan stops and thinks, “I’m happy and if it wasn’t okay… There’s no way we’d be this lucky you know… To have this.”

 

He motions between the three of them and Michael nods because he understands.

 

 

**Christmas Day 2016**

 

“Put him down Ry.” Michael puts Oliver’s booster seat on the chair between them, “He’ll sleep in his carrier. Eat.”

 

“He’s comfortable.” Ryan brushes off Michael’s concern and sits down at his place with Talan still in his arms, “He’s too little to spend Christmas dinner alone in his car seat.”

 

“He’s sleeping.” Michael points out, “He won’t wake up.”

 

Ryan shrugs.

 

“Ryan.” Hillary sighs, she’s going around the table picking up the plates to bring them into the kitchen, “You can’t hold him and go get your food. Just put him down for-”

 

“Mike’ll do my plate.” Ryan smiles at her, “Just cause he likes me.”

 

“You’re gonna do his plate?” Kristin turns to look at Michael astonished.

 

“He’s holding the baby.” Michael defends himself, “Whatever.”

 

Talan sleeps through half the meal, until Oliver knocks over sippy cup and Michael spills over his water glass trying to help him. The resulting noise wakes up Talan who blinks up at Ryan confused.

 

“Here dude.” Devon reaches over and takes Talan out of Ryan’s arms before Ryan can protest, “I’m done eating use both your hands.” 

 

“I was good.” Ryan insists before picking up his knife, “Seriously I like holding him.”

 

“I know.” Devon says, “But like you haven’t eaten. Eat.”

 

“Thanks.” Ryan grabs another roll from the basket in front of Devon and takes a bite, “I just like… He gets lonely you know.”

 

“Yeah you can tell he’s definitely loving this.” Devon laughs because Talan has gone back to sleep oblivious to everything.  “Just like…”

 

“Just like what?” Ryan asks. “You can’t keep him.”

 

“No like…” Devon trails off again.

 

Their conversation is relatively quiet compared to the other fifteen people around the table. Even Michael who’s sitting on Ryan’s other side is too busy cleaning up Oliver’s hands to pay attention.

 

“What’s up?” Ryan asks again, “Tell me.”

 

“You’ll like.” Devon’s voice drops, “You’ll do this for me right?”

 

Ryan drops his fork to pay full attention to Devon. Devon’s holding Tal up against him with one hand while his other rests on his girlfriend’s pregnant stomach.

 

“You freaking out?”

 

“Um yeah.” Devon  admits, “Like it’s two months away but like Ols was born that early right so he could come like tomorrow and-”

“You’re gonna be good.” Ryan says, “You’ll be good.”

 

“I don’t know.” Devon says defeated, “IT’s like-”

 

“I’ll be there.” Ryan reassures, “Course I’ll help you out come on.”

 

Ryan waits to see Devon’s face relax and when it does he goes back to eating. He’s finishing up his plate when Devon talks again.

 

“They’re gonna be like best friends.” He says confidently. “They’ll do stupid stuff and we’ll have to-”

 

“Yell at them like dad yelled at us?” Ryan laughs.

 

“Yeah.” Devon moves Talan so they can both look at his face, “I mean he looks like trouble come on.”

 

 


End file.
